Automatic grain-cleaning boot for elevator legs



May 15, 1951 R. l. PATTERSON AUTOMATIC GRAIN-CLEANING BOOT FOR ELEVATOR LEGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1950 May 15, 1951 R. PATTERSON AUTOMATIC GRAIN-CLEANING BOOT FOR ELEVATOR LEGS Filed Jan. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. For [PW'HSPSUN BY MM HTTOE'NEYS Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC GRAIN-CLEANING BOOT FOR ELEVATOR LEGS Claims.

My invention relates to an automatic graincleaning boot for elevator legs, and has for its object to provide a device, which, upon being set in operation, will cause grain which has collected in the bottom of the boot to be thrown free of the bottom and gathered in the buckets to be elevated.

For a long time there has been a serious problem caused by the accumulation of grain in the bottom of the boot which must be withdrawn, particularly when a different kind of grain is to be elevated. Such accumulated grain must be moved out when another grain is elevated or there will result a mixture of grains, which is seriously objectionable. This is particularly true for receiving or so-called country elevators, where many truck loads of successively different grains may be elevated in a single day, and which can be instantly operated and will clean grain from the boot in less than a minutes time.

This arrangement consists in providing an opening, preferably rectangular, having walls converging toward said opening, and in arranging in the opening a vertically movable member. This member is normally held in a raised position by powerful compression springs. Controllable means are provided topush the member downwardly against the force of the springs as they are compressed and suddenly releasing the pushing members, whereupon the springs will bring the bottom member quickly to initial position, whereby their stopping will project the grain on the member upwardly to be engaged by the moving buckets of the bucket elevator, and thus to carry away the grain which is tending to block in and clog up the boot, and which must be removed to prevent grain mixing.

It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to arrange a boot having a movable bottom member, preferably reached by sloping walls on all four sides, and providing means for causing the movable bottom member to be moved away from the initial position and to snap with quick force back to initial position, so thereby the grain on the bottom will be thrown upwardly to be seized by the moving elevator cups and thus clear the boot of grain in it without the necessity of going into the chamber within the boot.

It is a further Object of my invention to provide a bottom board mounted upon supports which extend outside of the limits of the elevator leg, the board being held in normal position by a multiplicity of powerful springs, and to provide means operated by the pulley shaft extending across the boot for causing the bottom plate to move downwardly away from initial position, and then to release the springs so they will simultaneously snap the boardback to initial position and thereby throw the grain from this bottom plate to be caught and moved uwardly by the cup of the elevator leg.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a cam member on one or both ends of the pulley shaft and to provide a thrust member pivotally connected to the support for the bottom closure, and further to provide means to bring the thrust member into position to be engaged by a cam on the pulley shaft, which will effect the pushing away of the bottom plate, thereby compressing the springs, and then providing to have the cam member suddenly release the plate, whereby the springs will pull the bottom plate rapidly upwardly, with an instantaneous stop, which will throw the grain upwardly from it when the plate is stopped at initial position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide sloping walls on all four sides of the bottom plate so that grain which is not elevated will tend to move into a centered position upon the bottom plate and can thus be thrown upwardly by the spring means heretofore referred to.

A further object of my invention i to provide a supported frame member at the bottom having therein an opening preferably rectangular with side walls, and providing a bottom plate within said opening, said bottom plate having rubber wiper flaps about its edges whereby the opening will at all times be perfectly sealed.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention by which the aforesaid important and advantageous results are obtained will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating an application of my invention in one of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view of the bottom of an elevator leg casin and the pulley means thereon, showing my invention connected thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the lower part of the leg casing viewed from the side thereof.

Fig. 4 is a sectional or elevation View taken through the lower part of the boot on the elevator leg casing in a direction at right angles to the elevation view of Fig. 1, on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side View of the cam members on the ends of the pulley shaft.

As shown in the drawings, the bottom IQ of an elevator leg casing has formed below it a supporting portion II which is provided with supporting legs II. There are sloping walls I2, I3, 44 and I?) at the bottom of portion H, each of which terminates adjacent an opening [6. 5

A closure plate ll fits within said opening, as

best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opening l6 and closure plate H are preferably rectangular, but other forms of opening and closure plate, such as being circular may, if desired, be employed. The plate ll is supported by a rectangular frame comprising elongated transverse members l8 and I9 which have their ends extended beyond the walls of portion II and which, are shown in dotted lines in side elevation in Fig. 4 and. in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Cross-bars and 2| are secured to the ends of bars l8 and I9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Secured to the lower ends of side-plates 52 and 63 of portion H are pairs of angle iron plates 22 and 23, and 24 and 25, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4; Extending through openings in the bottom webs of the angle irons 22 and 23, 24 and .25 are sets of bolts 25 and 21, and 28 and 29. Bolts 25 and 2'! are rigidly secured to frame members H3- and is at one end thereof and bolts 28 .on the several angle iron plates 22, 23, 24 and 25,

the springs being sufiiciently compressed to hold the frame assembly and plate H firmly in closing position, as indicated in the lower part of Fig. l.

A framework 4| at one side and 42 at the other side, and legs ll support through rods 43 for sliding vertical action the sides of the supporting portion I. These sides are clearly shown in Fig. 2, and are designated as 52 and 63. The edges of the side members 63 take into slots 54 and 65 formed by projecting members fast on th legs 4| and 42 respectively. Similarly the edges of the side members 52 take into slots 66 and 51 fast on the legs 41 and 42'.

The shaft 44 which supports'pulley 45 is journaled in bearing blocks 58 and 69 rigidly secured to the side plates 52 and 63. Rods 43 and 43 are rigidly connected with the bearing blocks 68 and 69 fast on the side plates 62 and 63. These rods have threaded upper ends H! which extend through an opening in the flange, the flange indicated in dotted lines at H of top angle iron- 4|. The threaded end 15 also extends through the top-plate 12 of a U-piece 73.

Within the space 74 in U-piece 13 is a nut 15 screwed onto the threaded ends ll] of the hangers 43. The plate I! and its supportsand the means for vibrating the plate upon cams 46 on the ends of pusher rods 33 and 34 respectively and, of course, the pulley shaft 44 and the pulley and belt 45 of the bucket elevator are all suspended from the nuts 15 on threaded ends Tl] of the hanger arms 45 and 43.

The entire arrangement makes possible the vertical adjustment of the shaft 44 to tighten the belt, and of the parts carried thereby, without any variance of the spaces between plate I! and the ends of the buckets 41, indicated at 16 in Figs. 1 and 4.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, vibration or pusher rods 33 and 35 are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the centers of bars 21 and 2|. These rods come beneath keepers 35-and 36 fast on the side walls 52and'63, and are constantly held in contact with the outer walls 31 and 38 of said keepers by meansof a spring 39, Fig. 3, secured to a stud 40 on wall 62. Upon the ends of pulley shaft 44 are fixed cam members 48 which have the form indicated in Fig. 5, wherein parallel sides 50 and 5| are joined by curved end cam faces 52 and 53.

A shaft 54 is journaled across the casing H] and has on one end thereof a lever 55 which is in position to be operated manually. The rods 43' are provided with cam engaging ends 55. The spring 39 operates to hold the cam ends 55 on rods 43 out of contact with rotating earns 48 on the shaft 44.

Periodically, or whenever the operator believes that grain should be moved from the boot chamber, the operator will pull the lever 55 against the pull of spring 39,, and will thereby draw the rods 43' so their cam ends 55 come into the path of the cams48.

As these cams are rapidly rotated by the pulley shaft, they will cause the frameworkcarrying the plate I! to be rapidly oscillated through very short distances. In general the plate I! will be pushed downwardly from one-quarter to one-half inch compressing all the springs 35 and will snap back through the quick release past the parallel Walls 59 and 5| of the cam members.

Th operator will be required to hold the lever 55 pulled back to cause the cam ends 56 tocome into the path of the rotatin cams 48 for only a very short time, less than a minute, to get the results desired.

The action of the cams will throw any grain accumulated on the plate ll upwardly into the path of the cups 4'! of the elevator and will quickly clear accumulation of grain from the boot chamber.

Contacting. the plate l1, and, fitting closely against the walls 56' of the opening l6 are rubber sealing extensions 51 which prevent any leakage of grain as the closure plate IT is vibrated. Grain is fed, to the boot chamber in a wellknown. manner from. chutes 58 and 59 which are adapted to be closed by valves 65 and BI, the valve 60 having its outer face substantially in the plane of the walls of supporting member I I also provide a plate 62 attached to the supporting portion ll of the elevator casing, which acts to deflect grain thrown up by the vibrating plat -I1 into the buckets 41.

The shock of the snap back of the members I8 and I9 is taken against the angle irons 22 and 23. A rubber pad 63, as indicated in Fig. 4, may be positioned upon the tops of cross bars 20v and 2| and deaden the shock and reduce the noise of the contact with the angle irons 2| and 22.

The great advantage of my invention is found primarily in its extreme simplicity and small cost of manufacture and operation, the opening and closure plate at the bottom of a boot chamber, together with remarkable efiiciency in effecting removal of accumulations of grain from th bottom of the boot chamber by vibration of that plate whenever a change of grain to be elevated takes place.

' I claim:

1. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber with sloping walls defining an opening therefrom at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and closing said opening, means supporting the plate, a pulley shaft and means for rotating it, and means operated by the pulley shaft in association with said supportingv means to cause the plate to be moved outwardly and then to snap back to initial position, acting to throw grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber.

2. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber with sloping walls defining an opening therefrom at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and closing said opening, means supporting the plate including a plurality of compression springs, a pulley shaft and means operated by the pulley shaft to cause said springs to be successively compressed and immediately released whereby the springs will snap the plate upwardly to initial position, acting to throw the grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber.

3. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber with sloping walls defining a funnel-like member with an opening therefrom at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and enclosing said opening, frame members supporting the plate, a multiplicity of bolt members rigidly attached to the frame members, springs about the bolt members which operate to hold the plate in closing position, a pulley shaft and means for rotating the shaft, and means operated by the pulley shaft while it is rotated to alternately compress and release said springs, such release causing the closure plate to throw grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber.

4. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber having an opening formed therein at its bottom, a plate within and closing said opening, frame means supporting the plate including portions extending in opposite directions to the outside of the casing, a series of vertical members rigidly attached to said outside ends, angle plates fast on the casing through which said last named members extend, and spring means cooperating with said members and said last named plates to bring the first named plate to closing position in the opening.

5. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber having an opening formed therein at its bottom, a plate within and closing said opening, frame means supporting the plate including portions extending in opposite directions to the outside of the easing, bolt-like members rigidly attached to said outside ends and extending upwardly therefrom, angle plates fast on the casing through which the said bolt-like members extend, a washer and nut threaded on the outer end of each of said bolt-like members, and a spring surrounding each of said bolt-like members and extending between the washer and the last named plates to bring the first named plate to closing position in the opening.

6. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber having an opening formed therein at its bottom, a plate within and closing said opening, frame means supporting the plate including portions extending in opposite directions to the outside of the casing, bolt-like members rigidly attached to said outside ends and extending upwardly therefrom, angle plates fast on the casing through which the said bolt-like members extend, a washer and nut threaded on the outer end of each of said bolt-like members, a spring surrounding each of said bolt-like members and extending between the washer and the last named plates to bring the first named plate to closing position in the opening, a pulley shaft and means for rotating it, cam members on the ends of the pulley shaft ill and pusher rods connected with the frame means and having a cam edge adapted to be engaged by the cams, whereby the frame and the plate for closing the opening are moved outwardly in said opening compressing the springs and quickly releasing the compressed springs to cause the plate to return to initial position with a snap action to cause any plate thereon to be thrown up in the boot chamber to be removed therefrom.

7. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber having an opening at its central bottom portion with walls surrounding said opening, a plate within and closing said opening, said plate having flexible wiper flanges for sealing the opening against grain leakage, means supporting the plate, a pulley shaft and means for rotating it, and means operated by the pulley shaft in association with said supporting means to cause the plate to be moved outwardly and then snap back to initial position, acting to throw grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber.

8. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber with an opentherefrom at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and closing said opening, frame members supporting the plate, bolt members rigidly attached to the frame members, springs about the bolt members which operate to hold the plate in closing position, a pulley shaft and means for rotating the shaft, cam means on the ends of the shaft and pusher rods secured to the frame members cooperating to alternately compress and release said springs, such release causing the closure plate to throw grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber, and manual means to move the cam means and pusher members relatively to render them operative or inoperative.

9. In combination with a bucket elevator, a casing enclosing a boot chamber with an opening therefrom at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and closing said opening, spring means mounted to force the plate into closing position, a pulley shaft and means for rotating the shaft, cams on the ends of the shaft formed with parallel side faces and curved end faces, rods connected with the plate having cam ends engageable with the cams on the pulley shaft, said sets of cams cooperating to alternately compress and release the spring means, such release being sudden and causing the pressure plate to snap into closing position to throw grain on the plate upwardly in the boot chamber.

10. In combination with a bucket elevator including a pulley, a belt and buckets on the belt and a driven shaft for driving the belt, a vertically movable supporting member enclosing a boot chamber having an opening at the bottom of the chamber, a plate within and closing said opening, means supporting the plate, said shaft being journaled at the sides of the boot chamber to operate therefrom so the outer ends of the buckets will be moved past the plates at a fixed predetermined distance, means operated by the pulley shaft in association with said supporting means to cause the plate to be moved outwardly and then to snap back to initial position, and means for moving the supporting member as a whole including the parts connected therewith to tighten the belt.

ROY I. PATTERSON.

No references cited. 

